NICHOLAS A. BUONICONTI

Co-Founder

Nicholas A. Buoniconti is a man of action. He sees challenges and attacks them with the same vigor that made him a National Football League Hall of Fame linebacker and a two-time World Champion. He now focuses that same drive and determination into several diverse careers.

While most today find it difficult to balance one career, Nick Buoniconti has balanced many over the years. As a young football professional, he juggled the rigors of a sports career and law school, then a law practice. He is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School, and to this day is a member of the Bar in both Florida and in Massachusetts.

For twenty-three seasons, Mr. Buoniconti was co-host of the longest running, critically acclaimed, weekly television sports show "Inside the NFL" on the HBO cable network. Over the years, he has held the position of President and Chief Operating Officer of UST, a Fortune 500 company, served on the UST Board of Directors and was Chief Operating Officer and Vice Chairman of Columbia Laboratories, an AMEX listed pharmaceutical research and development company.

Buoniconti has also served as an outside director for The Sports Authority, American Bankers Insurance Company, Nine West Group, Inc. and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the United Service Organization (USO), to name a few.

As remarkable as his career has been in sports, business and broadcasting, Mr. Buoniconti’s most challenging foe has turned into his passion and driving force. Since his son Marc suffered a devastating spinal cord injury in 1985, he has focused most of his attention on raising awareness of, and funds for, spinal cord injury research. He helped found, and serves as a national spokesman and fundraiser for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. He and his family also founded The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis to help The Miami Project achieve its national and international goal of finding a cure for spinal cord injuries. To that end, through the direct involvement of the Buonicontis, more than $150 million has been raised in support of The Miami Project’s research programs. In that time, The Miami Project has grown to become internationally recognized as the leading research center for spinal cord injuries in the world.

An All-American linebacker and team captain at the University of Notre Dame, Mr. Buoniconti was drafted by the Boston Patriots in 1962 and was an All-AFL choice in five of his seven seasons with the Patriots. In 1969, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins, where he was an All-Pro Linebacker. Mr. Buoniconti was captain of the famous Dolphins’ No-Name Defense and anchored the defensive team in the undefeated season of 1972 that went on to become Super Bowl champions in 1972 and 1973. He was named to the Pro Bowl team both years, and his teammates voted him Most Valuable Dolphin in 1973. He retired from football in 1976 as a six-time All-AFL selection, as a member of the all-time AFL team, and with eight Pro Bowl appearances to his credit. On August 4, 2001, Nick Buoniconti was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He is also a member of the New England Patriots Hall of Fame and the Miami Dolphins Hall of Fame.

Mr. Buoniconti has been the recipient of numerous awards for career achievement and philanthropy including: "Man of the Year" by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the "Ernie Davis Award" by the Leukemia Society of America, "Career Achievement Award" by the Leukemia Society of America, "Career Achievement Award" by the NFL Alumni, "Thurman Munson Award" by the Association for the Help of Retarded Children, "Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award" by Suffolk University Law School, "Professional Athlete Award for Courage" by the Boys’ & Girls’ Clubs of Newark, "Medal of Honor Award," The 52 Association for the Handicapped, "Louis E. Seidman Human Relations Award" by the American Jewish Committee, "Leadership in Business Award," Italo-American Association of New York, "Man of the Year Helping Hands Award" from the University of Miami School of Medicine, as well as an Honorary Degree from Suffolk University received in May, 1993, an Honorary Degree from Roger Williams University received in May, 1995, an Honorary Degree from Iona College in April, 2003, and the Medal of Honor at Ellis Island in May, 2005.

Mr. Buoniconti also serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Miami, the Board of Directors for TravelCLICK, Inc and the Board of Directors for Plum TV.